Process of refrigeration.



W. W. SEAY. PROCESS OF REFRIGERATION. APPLICATION nun JAN. 4, 1909.

92 0 0 v Patented June 22,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W5 tn use:

W. W. SEAY.

PROCESS OF REFRIGERATION.

APPLIOATION'IILED JAN..4, 1909.

926,080. Patented June 22, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ummmmrzlma awwcmfoz Original application filed June 12, 1906, Serial fUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. SEAY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF REFRIGERATION.

' ment of the process broadly described and claimed in my formerapplication, originally filed March 28th, 1905, Serial No. 252,571, andrenewed November 13th, 1907, present Serial No. 401,987. Also theapparatus'uscd in connection with my process and shown in the accompaning drawings, forms the subject-mattero a prior application by me,originally filed June 12th, 1906, Serial No. 321,405, and renewedNovember 13, 1907, present Serial No. 401,988. The subjectmatter of thepresent application being com- 'gletely disclosed in my formerapplication,

erial No. 321,403, June 12, 190 6, renewed November 13, 1907, Serial No.401,988. This present application is a division of the subject matterdisclosed in my prior applica-' tions.

In the first named application, I described and claimed, the basicprocess in which a solid chemical reagent was employed to condense andabsorb the expanded ammonia gas after refrigeration, both the solid andgas becoming liquefied by the contact, and then volatilizing out theammonia gas from the solution and resolidifying the reagent,recondensing the expelled gas and then allowing the liquid ammonium toflow into the refrigerating apparatus for expansion.

' The object of this invention is to make the process continuous, towhich end I provide means for condensing a given quantity of theexpanded gas into one body of the reagent while volatilizin a previouslycondensed quantlt of refrigerant gas from a'second body o the reagent,and of alternating the steps so that each body of the solid reagentbecomes in turn an absorber and a generator. Another object of theinvention is to bodily invert the solid absorbents intermediate theirperiods of condensation and volatiliza- Specification of Letters Patent.

No. 401,988. Divided and this application filed January 4, 1909. SerialNo. 470,561.

Patented June 22, 1909.

tion, so as to always present the reagent to the incoming charge of theexpanded gas in the physical condition most favorable for efl'ecting thethorough transformation of both solid and gas into the liquid solution.

Another object of theinvention is to agi tate the liquid formed by themutual reaction of the solid reagent and the expanded ammoniagas, inorder to obtain a fuller absorbing efficiency from the solution.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- I panying drawings, in whichFigure 1 1s a front elevatlon with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a partialrear elevation.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through one of the generators..Fig. 4 is a view of one of the generators partially in section. Fig.5is a sectional detail of a modification.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing, a, a, designatethe'absorbing and generating tanks, which may conveniently be ofcylindrical form, and of whichI prefer to use two for the purpose whichwill hereinafter appear. These tanks have hollow trunnions a which arejournaled in suitable bearings a on a suitable supporting frame A.Eachhas an interior coil which is in communication through the hollowtrunnion at one end by means of suitable pipe connections with the hotand cold water supply pipes 2 and 3 provided with suitable cocks 4 and 5by which hot or cold water can be sup lied to the coil in alternation asdesired. he interior of each tank or generator is in communicationthrough its hollow trunnion by a short pipe section 8* with branch pipes8 which unite in or are connected to the pipe 8 and which leads to acondenser b. tank having an interior coil 7 which is in connection withthe pipe 8. The condenser tank has an inlet pipe 9 and an outlet pipe 11The condenser-l) is a for the condensing water. The condenser coil 7 isconnected to a receiver d for the liquid anhydrous ammonia by pipe 12having a suitable cook 13. A refrigerator is indicated at c which may beof the ordinary or any desired construction according to its destinedemployment for making ice or for cooling storage chambers as used in thearts generall For convenience I have shown this refrigerator as afreezing tank adapted to be filled with brine and to receive cans andhaving an interior coil 14 wluch is connected to the receiver al'by pipe15, having an expansion. cock 16. Through this pipe 15- the anhy-"-drous liquid ammonia is supplied to the refrigerator. The other end ofthe coil 14 communicates by a pipe 17 and branch pipes 17 with the pipes8 leading into the tanks a, suitable stop cocks 17 being provided inthese pipes 17. Il' desired, I may pass the expanded ammonia vapor goingthrough the pipe 17 through a drier e connected to the pipe 17 by branchpipes as shown, but if perfectly anhydrous ammonia is used, such a drierwill not be needed.

It will be understood that my invention contem lates the employment inthe tanks 0.

of a so id absorbent, such, as sulfocyanid of aminoniumNH4CyS,whicheasily com- .bines with liquid anhydrous ammonia or ammonia vapor, andby such process it becomes liquefied and forms with the ammonia asolution. After the ammonia and the solid absorbent have both gone intoliquid solution,- hot water or steam is introduced into the coils of theabsorber and generator and the liquefied ammonia vaporized and drivenoff through the pipe 8 and introduced into the condensing tank, whenceit passes in the form of liquid ammonia into the receiver d. It thenpasses through the coils 14 of the refrigerator where it is expanded andconsequently abstracts heat from the freezing tank producing theordinary refrigerating effect. After allthe available ammonia has beendriven out from the absorbent, by the heat from the hot water coils ofthe generator and the condensation effect produced,'the supply of hotwater is cut off, and a supply of co water turned into the coils of thegenerator, which now becomes the absorber, the cooks 17 now being openand the cocks 8 being closed. The expanded ammonia gas now passes by thepipe 17 back to the tank a, Whic new acts as an absorber, where'it isreabsorbed.

From the fore oing description it will be seen that were I to use but asingle tank a continuous refeigerating effect upon the refrigeratorcould not be secured as there would be alternate periods during which asingle tank a would be absorbin and va 0- rizing. It is to avoid thisintermittent actlon.

If the expanded ammonia va or were al-.

lowed to enter the tank a with t e absorbent at the bottom of the tankinthis solid condi-.

more if left in a quiescent state. ever, the liquid be agitated it willcontinue y the use of two tanks, Isetion, the action of the vapor wouldbe to cause a liquid film to form over the surface of the solidabsorbent whichwould tend to construction when a tank is to act as theab sorber its osition is reversed so that the solid absor 'ent adheringto the rotatable element is now at the top and the ammonia vapor actsonthe under surface of the solid absorbent. 'As fast as the vapor isliquefied and the absorbent likewise liquefied it falls away into thebottom of the tank leaving a fresh surface of the solid absorbentexposed to the action of the va or. Thisis a convenient and efficientmet 0d of shifting the positions of the solid absorbent relative to theincoming charge of refrigerant gas. found further that after all of thesolid absorbent has become liquefied under these conditions it'will haveabsorbed a certain amount of ammonia and will not absorb If, howtoabsorb the ammonia vapor'up to a considerable further degree. For thisreason I find it very desirable to arrange the coil, 1, within each tanka in a circular or annular form, as shown at 1 in Fig. 5 and to rovidemeans by which; each tank may e continuously rotated during theabsorbing action, thereby hastening such action very materially andincreasing its elliciency' as by the agitation thus effected a largerpercentage of the ammonia vapor will heal)- sorbed and the gain inefficiency will far outweigh the cost of rotation. stood, however, thatthe continuous rotation of the tank is simply representative of anymeans for agitating the liquid contents of the tank.

While any suitable form of hollow trunnion may be used to lead therefrigerant into I have It will be underthe refrigerant is introduced isshown on the right of this figure. Iticomprises a tubular member ajournaled in the bearing a to which is connected a coupling member "0,having an internal flange e'n aging a. corresponding external flange ont e pipe section (1. which connects with thebr-anch 8. The section a issurrounded by a collar a which has a flange screwed: on to the couplingmaterial a. A secondcollar a is rigidly but adjustably secured on theipe aand bee inner end of pipe 0. pressed against the internal flangeef'coupling member a. The

'ir'nen ber G Between this collar and. coupfl ng member is located asuitable" ack-ing its particular means by which the heating and coolingmedium is supplied is shown on the left of Fig. 3.

The shaft 0 which is secured rigidly to 5 the head of the tank or drumhas a central longitudinal passage a at one end which is incommunication at its outer end by a suit- 4 able T couplin with thepipes 2 and 3. At 1ts inner end t is passage communicates by a lateralbranch 0 with one end of the coil 10. The other end of the coilcommunicates by a pipe a with a passage a in the member a. I ThisIpassage at its outer end communicates wit a junction box or casing awhich has a waste pi e a. A spring a" lo.-

cated between a col er a on i e a and the junction box serves the doubfe function of keeping the flanged end a of the pipe a" pressed againsta corresponding flange or 20 shoulder ofthe shaft (1, and holding the.junction box against the end of shaft or. I

tion formed with a separate body of said trunnion a to effect a tightjoint.

The bodily inversion of the solid chemical after it is precipitated outof thesolution and 2 preparatory to the absorbing step, is a gener1cstep of the process, and the rotation of the solid body is a specificand the preferred step of the process. The rocess may be carried onsuccessfully by bodily inverting the container after the solid has beenformed, and allowing it to remain fixed in this trans osed positionduring the absorbing perio as this form of inversion would exose a newsurface of the solid to the in- 3 uence of the expanded gas from therefrigerator. For as'fast as the ex anded gas would be condensed andliquefy t e chemical the solution would trickle away and leave aconstantly fresh surface exposed to its action. Again, when the chemicalis allowed to be deposited in the lower part of the apparatus, itsexposed superficial area when invertedis not so great, as when it isdeposited uniformly over the whole inner peri hery. This latterdeposition is accomplis ed by the rotation during the generation orvolatilizing period. I therefore prefer the continuous rotation as itproduces a constant agitation. of the liquid-when formed during theabsorption, as well as in volatilizing or generating period.

Having described my invention, I claim:- 1. In the art of refrigeration,the process of absorbing the ex anded refrigerant gas into a solidreagent, both being liquefied by the contact, then volatilizing therefrigerant from the solution and resolidifyingthe reagent, condensingthe expelled gas into a liquid, expanding'the liquid inthe zone of thearticle to be cooled, and inverting the solid reagent after eachvolatilizing eriod and prior to the absorbing period, sifbstantially asdescribed. I

.2. In the art of refrigeration, the process of absorbing the expandedrefrigerant gas bodies of the solid absorbent relative to the bodiesintermediate its condensing and volatilizing periods, substantially asdescribed.

3. In the art of refrigeration, the process of absorbing the ex andedrefrigerant gas into a solid reagent, oth being liquefied vby ,thecontact, agitating the solution when formed during the absorbing period,volatilizin the refrigerant from the solution and reso idifying thereagent, condensing the exelled gas into a li uid, and expanding the liuid in the zone of the article to be cooled, su stantially as described.

4. In the art of refrigeration, the process of absorbing the expandedrefrigerant gas into one body of a solid reagent both being liquefied bythe contact, volatilizing a con-' densed charge of the refrigerant froma solusolid reagent, inverting each of said solid bodies intermediateits condensing and Volatilizing periods and agitating each solution whenformed during the absorbing period, substantially as described.

5. In the art of refrigeration, the process of alternatelyabsorbingsuccessivecharges of the expanded refrigerant gas into liquidsolu- 5 tion with two different'bodies of a solid ab sorbent',alternatelyvolatilizing the refrigerant from said solution,resolidifying the reagent, and shifting the position of each of saidincoming charge of expanded refrigerant gas intermediate their absorbingand volatilizing periods, substantially as described. 7

6. In the art of refrigeration, the process of alternately absorbingsuccessive charges of the refrigerant gas into liquid solution with twodifferent bodies of a solid absorbent, alternately volatilizing therefrigerant from said solution, resolidifying the absorbent, androtating the absorbent container to shift the'position of the absorbentrelative to the incoming expanded refrigerant gas and to agitate thesolution during the absorbing period, substantially as described.

7. In the art of refrigeration, the process of combining in one tankexpanded refrigerant gas with an absorbent formed froma chemical havingthe property of going from a solid state into a liquid solut on withsaid gas, simultaneously volatilizing anhydrous refrigerant gas from asimilar absorbent solution in another tank, simultaneously'flowinganhydrous refrigerant gas from the generator tank into a condenser andflowing the expanded refrigerant gas from the refrigerator into theabsorbent tank, and utilizin the refrigerant gas separated from theabsor cut to produce a cooling effect. a

8. In the art of refrigeration, the rocessof continuously performing thefo lowing steps, combining in one tankexpanded rethe refrigerator intothe absorbent tank, and 10 frigerant as with an absorbent formed fromutilizing the refrigerant gas se arated from a ehemioa having theproperty of. going from the absorbent to roduoe a coo mg effect; a solidstate into a liquid solution with said In testimony W ereof, I havehereunto set 5 as, volatilizing anhydrous refrigerant gas my hand.

rem a similar absorbent solution in another NVILLIAM W. SEAY. tank,flowing anhydrous refrigerant gas from Vitnesses: I the generator tankinto a condenser, and OLIVER B. KAISER,

flowing the expanded refrigerant gas from I

